Top Tips for Getting Your Pet to Eat More Hay

This article is written by Pet Circle veterinarians, Dr Nicole Wynne BSc BVMS MANZCVS (Unusual Pets) and Dr Emilee Lay BVSc BSc (Vet) Hons

Why Is Hay So Important?

Encouraging your rabbit or guinea pig to eat a diet that is at least 80% hay is the most important thing you can do to maintain their dental and gut health. Hay is full of beneficial fibre that isn't found in other foods, as well as tough plant components that are unrivalled for healthy dental wear. 

However, just like us humans, rabbits and guinea pigs will choose to eat junk food over healthy food, and bad habits can form over time. Some rabbits and guinea pigs may eventually reject hay and insist on eating only pellets and vegetables. The best way to prevent this is to ensure that your pet develops good hay habits from day 1!

Select Good Quality Hay

Old, dusty, musty hay isn’t going to be very nice to eat, and rabbits and guinea pigs naturally enjoy and seek out high quality hay. Quality hay should be a light green in colour with brown undertones, and should come in long strands that do not crumble when handled. It should smell fresh, sweet, and grassy, with no musty or mouldy smell. Occasional dark spots are acceptable, as hay is a natural product, but dark spots should not be raised or fuzzy - that indicates mould!

Judging hay quality is a difficult skill that is best when learned from experience, but this is a thorough and interesting article from Oklahoma State University, on how to judge hay based on sight, smell, and feel. Hay is a complex subject, which makes sense when we remember how important it is to digestive health!

Ensure That Hay Is Available 24/7 

Lots of hay should be available all the time, as rabbits and guinea pigs naturally pick through hay to eat the most desirable parts first. Having hay close at hand all the time also helps your pet choose hay first when they start to feel like a bite to eat.

Hay feeders like this adorable little wagon can help keep their living area tidier, and also help you judge how much they are consuming in a day. Litterboxes like this corner box or this traditional rectangular box can also help 

Limit Servings of Pellets and Greens

Rabbits and guinea pigs will always choose to eat pellets and greens first, so ensure that servings are limited. Rabbits and guinea pigs should not get more than a tablespoon of pellets a day, and no more than a handful of greens the size of their heads twice a day. Muesli mix or seed and nut mixes should not be fed. If your pet is on a muesli mix, ensure to transition slowly over to a good-quality pellet.

Feeding a small amount of a high-quality pellet helps to ensure that they get all their essential vitamins and minerals, and evens out any natural variation in the hay and vegetables that they are eating. 

Provide a Variety of Hay

There are lots of different types of hay that are suitable for daily feeding, such as meadow hay, Timothy hay, oaten hay, teff hay, Rhodes hay, and orchard hay. Lucerne also known as alfalfa hay, is high in protein and calcium, and should be fed as a treat only. 

Feeding more than one type of hay teaches your pet that lots of different smells, shapes, and textures of hay are edible, and not to be too picky! As hay is a natural product and can vary a lot from season to season, some pet owners run into trouble when their very picky pet doesn't like the new season's hay. Exposing your pet to a variety of hay early on gives you a lot more flexibility during those seasons. 

Put Hay Where They Hang Out

Rabbits and guinea pigs love to eat and poop at the same time, so putting hay in or around the litterbox is a great way to encourage hay consumption. Hay can also be placed where they sleep, and in hidey holes and houses.

Your pet may also dirty some of this hay - it is important to remember that they won't eat soiled hay, so do ensure that the hay is removed and replaced regularly to encourage consumption. Soiled, wet hay can also become mouldy and potentially cause illness, even if they don't eat it, as spores will be released into the air. 

Mix Fresh Grass or Vegetables with The Hay

This doesn't always work, as some clever pets just pick out the tastier bits, but this can be a useful trick for encouraging fussy rabbits and guinea pigs to try hay. For very hay-averse pets, this also can just make them come into contact with hay while they are eating, making them more used to the idea that we are supposed to eat hay! 

Most pets love fresh grass, and fresh grass is just as good as hay for dental and gastrointestinal health, as hay is just cured and dried grass. Dried carrot is a great option for mixing into hay and piquing your pet's interest! 

Sweetening Hay

Pure apple juice without additives can be mixed 50:50 with plain water in a spray bottle and used to spray hay to give it a sweeter taste and aroma. This is a great trick that works well with stubborn bunnies and guinea pigs! Just ensure that uneaten hay is cleared away daily, as it may cause hay to spoil or turn mouldy.

This should be a last-resort option for encouraging hay consumption, such as for pets that completely refuse to eat hay, or have not eaten hay for a long period of time. As this changes the flavour of the hay to make it more palatable, you also don't want to teach them that only sweetened hay should be eaten. Once your pet is readily eating hay, the spraying should be gradually stopped. 

The Most Important Tip...

Ensure that you book an appointment with your vet to ensure that there are no underlying reasons for your pet not eating enough hay. Regular health checks with an experienced exotics veterinarian are essential for maintaining your pet's health. If your pet is suffering from dental disease or other health issues, no amount of coaxing and different hays will be better than proper veterinary attention. Your vet will also be able to help you figure out the best way to get your pet to eat hay based on their knowledge and relationship with you and your pet. 

Further Reading

Want to read more? Check out our other articles:

Dental Disease in Your Rabbit

Gut Stasis in Rabbits and Guinea Pigs

Rabbit Care Guide

Complete Feeding Guide for Pocket Pets

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Please note that as our vets have not examined your pet, any advice given is general in nature. If you believe your pet is unwell, please seek direct veterinary attention.